Drilling apparatus



Nov. 15, 1966 M. R. CARO 3,285,351

DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 6, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

MICHAEL. R 63420 5y Nov. 15, 1966 M. R. CARO 3,285,351

DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 6, 1962 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5.5 4.

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DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 6, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5//VV[/VTOA MICHAEL R. 6mm

5 7 jaw g TOR/V575 Nov. 15, 1966 M. R. CARO 3,

DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 6, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

F v .LL. /9l Ta? M/VE/VTUR MICHAEL P- 54/90 TO/PIVEYS United StatesPatent 3,285,351 DRILLING APPARATUS Michael R. Caro, 32200 Seneca St.,Hayward, Calif. Original application Aug. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 215,000, nowPatent No. 3,215,214, dated Nov. 2, 1965. Divided and this applicationJuly 9, 1965, Ser. No. 482,008 3 Claims. (Cl. 175-89) This applicationis a divisional of my prior copending application Serial No. 215,000filed August 6, 1962, for Drilling Apparatus, now Patent No. 3,215,214.This invention relates generally to apparatus for drilling through rockand earth, and more particularly is directed towards a drilling headproviding compound rotary movement to cutting tools mounted thereon.

A main object of the present invention is to provide novel and improveddrilling apparatus having cutting tools operated with compound rotarymovement for increasing the efficiency and speed of drilling operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide drilling apparatus of thecharacter described suitable for reaming in addition to boringoperations, and which is thus adapted for forming holes of a relativelylarge'diameter.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the character describedhaving retractable reaming cutters for easy withdrawal of the drillinghead from the bore.

Still another object is to provide apparatus of the character describedhaving chain mounted cutting tools for reducing the need for repair andreplacement of the cutters.

An even further object is to provide drilling apparatus of the characterdescribed suitable for withdrawing core samples.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. Itis to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a drill head assembly comprising apreferred embodiment of the invention, and shows the assembly boringvertically into the earth.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower portion of theapparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the plane 33 shownin FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable cutters ofthe present invention, and which are also shown in FIGURE 1 as a part ofthe assembly therein;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the plane 5-5 inFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane 6--6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a side view illustrating an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention wherein cutting tools are mounted on a sprocket drivenchain;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane 99 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional side view of another alternativeembodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional side view of a further alternativeembodiment of the invention which is particularly suitable for reamingoperations; and

FIGURE 13 illustrates still another alternative em- 3,285,351 PatentedNov. 15, 1966 ice bodiment of the invention suitable for extracting coresamples.

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGURE 1 in particular, there isshown a drill assembly 11 secured to the lower end of a rotationallyfixed drill stem 12 and disposed in a bore 13 being drilled into theearth 14. A motor 16 is mounted on the stem 12 and connected to theassembly 11 for operation thereof in the manner to be described. Inbroad terms, the assembly 11 includes a main housing 17 which is coupledto the motor 16 through planetary gearing 18 and is adapted for rotationwithin the bore. A plurality of suitable cutting tools 19 are mounted.on the housing for rotation therewith, and, as will become evident, areadapted for powered rotation relative to the housing. Thus it willbecome apparent that the cutting tools 19 are provided with a compoundrotary movement for increasing the speed and efliciency of drillingoperations in accord with the foregoing objects of the presentinvention. It is noted that expandable flexible balloons 21 or the likemay be disposed within the bore 13 adjacent the drill stem 12 forstabilization and guidance thereof as the drill descends within thebore.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 2 and 3 wherein is shown a drill head22 which is depicted in FIGURE 1 as the lowermost portion of theassembly 11. In some detail now, the assembly includes a main shaft 23which is coupled directly to the motor 16 for powered rotation. Agenerally tubular housing 24 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 23concentrically therewith and coupled thereto through the planetarygearing 18 for opposed rotation relative to the shaft 23. Moreparticularly, the planetary gearing 18 is seen to include a sun gear 26rigidly secured on the shaft 23 for rotation therewith. A ring gear 27extends inwardly from the housing wall 28 and engages a plurality ofplanet gears 29 which engage and are actuated by the sun gear 26. Theforegoing structure adapts the shaft 23 for rotation in one directionwhile driving the housing 24 in the opposite direction.

A plurality of rotary cutting tools or cutters 19 are mounted on thehousing for rotation therewith and relative thereto. More specifically,each cutting tool is mounted on a cutter shaft 31 journa led forrotation in the bearings 32 and disposed along an axis extendingradially relative to the main shaft 23. A spur gear 33 issecuredadjacent the end of the shaft 3-1 proximate the main shaft 23 andengages a drive gear 34 rigidly secured on the shaft 23 for rotationtherewith. The rotation of the main shaft 23 relative to the housing 24thus causes rotation of the cutters 19 relative to the housing. As isshown in FIGURE 3, the cutters 19 are preferably spacedcircumferentially around the housing, each being similarly rotatedrelative to the housing through the gears 33 and 34.

In order to form a generally enlarged bore, it is preferable that thedrill head 22 be arranged in axial-1y spaced sets of circumferentiallydisposed cutters 19, with each set being progressively spaced radiallyoutwardly relative to the adjacent set nearest the end of the drill.More specifically, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, there are provided sets36, 37, 38 and 39 of the cutters 19. The set 37 is seen to be spacedradially outwardly relative to the set 36, which is closest to the lowerend of the drill head. The set 38 is similarly spaced relative to theset 37, and likewise with the set 39. To accomplish the foregoingdisposition of the cutters 19, the housing 24 is provided with a centraltubular wall 41 in which the bearings 32 are disposed for mounting ofthe cutter shafts 31. An outer housing wall 42 is spaced radially fromthe inner wall 41 and includes axially spaced stepped portions 43 joinedby radially disposed annular portions 44. The bearings 32 are mounted onthe stepped portions 43 and the sets of cutters 19 are each disposedrespectively around one of the stepped portions. Thus the radialdisposition of each set of cutters is seen to correspond to the radialspacing of the stepped portions 43. It will be appreciated that anynumber of sets of cutters may be utilized in the foregoing manner.Furthermore a centrally disposed boring drill bit 45 is preferablysecured adjacent the lower end of the shaft 23.

In order that particles of earth cut away by the instant drillingapparatus be carried out of the bore 13 suitable channels 46 areprovided in the housing 24 for discharging a fluid from the drill headadjacent the cutters 19, this technique being generally well known inthe art. Suitable means for transporting the fluid (not shown) arebrought down into the bore along with the stem 12 and are coupled to thechannels 46 in the housing 24.

Another important feature of the present invention relates to aretractable cutter assembly 47 shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 5. Theassembly 47, which serves primarily as a reamer for enlarging the bore,may be mounted on top of the drill head 22 as shown in FIGURE 1. Cutters19 similar to that of the previously described drill head 22 areprovided with the assembly 47 but are retractable to a position asillustrated in FIGURE 1 for withdrawal of the drill assembly 11 from thebore 13. The assembly 47 includes a generally tubular housing 48 whichis rotatably mounted on a central shaft 49. When used in combinationwith the drill head 22 as shown in FIGURE 1 the housing 48 is rigidlysecured to the housing 24 to form a substantially integral part thereof.Similarly, the shaft 49 links directly with the shaft 23 to form ineffect a single integral shaft driven by the motor 16. In FIGURE t2 thehousing wall 28 and shaft 23 proximate the planetary gearing 18 areshown broken away from the lower portion of the drill head 22. Accordingly, the housing 48 and shaft 49 of the retractable cutterassembly 47 can be disposed intermediate the planetary gearing 18 anddrill head 22 forming a substantially integral part of :the latterwhereby the planetary gearing serves to create rotation of the housing48 oppositely of the shaft 49.

As regards the detailed structure of the assembly 47, it is seen thatthe cutters 19 are connected to pinions 33 which engage drive gears 34secured to the main shaft 49, in generally the same manner as with drillhead 22. However, a shaft 51 extending radially from the pinion 33 has atubular sleeve 52 mounted concentrically thereon and adapted moveaxially relative thereto. As shown in FIGURE -6 the shaft 51 ispreferably of generally rectangular cross-section, and the sleeve 52 hasits inner walls of complimentary rectangular configuration whereby theshank is in effect keyed to the shaft 51 to rotate therewith. The cutter19 is connected to the sleeve 52 and thus rotates in accordance with thepinion 33 but is adapted to move radially relative to the housing as thesleeve 52 moves axially on the shaft 51. A pair of spaced con frontingcollars 53 are rotatably mounted around the shank 52, which has acircular periphery as shown in FIGURE 6, and are retained from axialmovement relative to the sleeve by axially spaced annular ridges 54extending radially outwardly on the sleeve. An actuating arm 56 ispivotally secured to the housing 48 and adapted to move in a planeparallel to the axes of the shafts 49 and 51, the arm 56 having anaperture 57 through which passes the sleeve 52. By having the arm 56disposed intermediate vthe spaced collars 53 pivotal movement of the armimparts an axial movement to the sleeve 52 relative tothe shaft 51,inasmuch as the collars are restrained bythe ridges 54 from axialmovement on the sleeve. Thus the actuating arm is seen to provide meansfor imartingfradial movement to the cutters 19 relative to the mg*48.5fi

for moving the actuating arm 56 include a plate d on the shaft 49 foraxial movement on a portion 59 thereof. The plate 58 is restrainedati'on'relative to the housing 48 so that when engaging the threadedshaft portion 59 the rotation of the shaft 49 causes the plate 58 tomove axially thereon. The periphery of the plate 48 abuts radiallyagainst the inclined actuating arm, as shown in FIGURE 4, and downwardmovement of the plate forces the arm radially outwardly, which moves thecutters 19 accordingly. Preferably a plurality of cutters 19 and arms 56are disposed around the assembly 47, as for example in the quadrantpositions shown in FIGURE 5 Radially extending ridges 61 are provided onthe plate 58, as shown in FIGURE 7, which extend intermediate the arms56 whereby the plate is restrained from rotational movement relative tothe housing 48, as noted above, but is adapted to move axially relativethereto.

It will be appreciated that once the cutters 19 of the assembly 47 arein either their fully extended or fully retracted position the plate 58must be adapted to remain axially stationary relative to the shaft 49.Accordingly, radially extending annular flanges 62 are disposed on theshaft 49 adjacent each end of the threaded portion 59 and spacedtherefrom to define unthreaded shaft portions 63. When the plate 58 hasmoved axially along the portion 59 from one end thereof to the other itthen becomes disposed on one of the portions 63' about which it mayrotate freely without stripping the threads. Spring means 64 areprovided adjacent each flange 62 for urging the plate 58 onto thethreaded portion 59. However, notwithstanding the spring means 64, oncethe plate has moved axially along the portions 59 to become disposed ona portion 63, the plate cannot move back into threaded relationship withthe portion 59 because of the direction of relative rotation thereof.When the direction of shaft rotation is reversed relative to thehousing, as for example when the drill is to be removed from the hole,the plate 58 is urged back onto the threaded portion 59 and movesaxially to the other end thereof where it again becomes disposed on theportion 63 until further reversal of shaft rotation. 1

Tension spring means 66 are connected between the cutter shafts 51 andthe cutters 19 to urge the cutters into a retracted position when themember 58 is moved upwardly on the shaft 49. Further compression springmeans 67 may also be provided to urge the actuating arms into theirretracted position and assist the operation of the spring means 66.

An alternative embodiment of the invention having I chain mountedcutting tools is shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings. In thisembodiment a shaft 68 has a housing 69 rotatably mounted thereon similarto the drill head 22, and planetary gearing (not shown) is likewiseutilized to effect contra rotation of the shaft and housing. A drivegear 71 is secured on the shaft 68 and engages pinions 72 which areconnected to shafts 73 journaled in the housing 69. The housing 69 isseen to include an inner wall 74 and a spaced outer wall 76 with theshafts 73 extending therebetween. A first drive sprocket 77 is mountedon shaft 73 for rotation therewith and is adapted to drive a chain 78.-An idling cutter sprocket 79 is disposed adjacent the lower end of thehousing and mounted on a stub shaft 81 journalled in the housing 69. Thesprocket 79 is adapted to be driven by the chain 78, which engages thedrive sprocket 77 -as well as a third idler sprocket 82 mounted on astub shaft 85. By mounting a plurality of spaced cutting tools 83 alongthe chain 78 the instant embodiment of the invention is adapted forboring and reaming operations with the cutters having a compound rotarymovement in the manner of the invention. By having a plurality ofcutters along a relatively large chain in the foregoing manner the needfor replacement or repair of the cutters is greatly reduced.

To provide for drilling of larger holes a second cutting chain 84similar to the chain 78 is spaced outwardly therefrom. As best seen inFIGURES 9 and 10 a second drive sprocket 86 is mounted on the shaft 73and spaced outwardly from the sprocket 77. An idling cutter sprocket 87of substantially the same diameter as the sprocket 79 is mountedadjacent the sprocket 79 on a stub shaft 88 and spaced therefrom. Thesprocket 87, however, is disposed axially upwardly relative to thesprocket 79 whereby the chains 78 and 84 operate to cut into the earthto form a progressively larger hole in much the same manner as do thecutters 19 of the assembly 11. The chain 84 similarly engages a thirdidler sprocket 89 mounted on the shaft 85. It is preferred that similarcutting chains 78 and 84 be mounted on the diametrically opposed side ofthe housing 69 as appears in FIGURE 10.

Another alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURE 11and is seen to include a housing 91 rotatably mounted on a shaft 92, thehousing and shaft being adapted for contra rotation in the mannerpreviously described. Drive gears 93 are secured to the shaft and engagepinions 94 which are secured to cutter shafts 96 journalled in thehousing 91. Ring cutters 97 circumscribe the housing 91 and are adaptedfor rotation relative thereto. The cutters 97 include ring gear portions98 which engage pinions 99 secured to the shafts 96 thus adapting thecutters for driven rotation relative to the housing.

A further alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIGURE 12 and includes a generally tubular housing 101 rotatably mountedon a shaft 102 and adapted for contra rotation relative thereto in themanner previously described. A circular drive gear 103 is secured to theshaft 102 and engages pinions 104 disposed circumferentially around thehousing 101. The pions 104 are adapted to drive a plurality of cuttershafts 106 journalled in the housing for rotation about an axis parallelto that of the shaft 102. A plurality of circumferentially disposedcutters 107 are secured adjacent the lowermost ends of the shafts 106proximate the lower end of the housing 101. While the embodiment inFIGURE 12 is shown without a central lowermost boring cutter 45 asincluded in the other embodiments it will be appreciated that suchprovision can be readily made as previously described. As shown theinstant embodiment in particularly suitable for reaming operationswherein the central boring cutter is not needed. Preferably the cutters107 are provided with alternate ones being longer than the others as isevident in FIGURE 12.

In FIGURE 13 there is shown a modification of the embodiment in FIGURE12 whereby the instant apparatus is adapted for withdrawing a coresample from the bore. More particularly, the housing 101 is seen to havean inner wall 108 defining a central chamber 109. At least two corecutting blades 111 are disposed adjacent the lower end of the chamberand are adapted to move radially inwardly to close off the chamber. Theblades 111 are preferably constructed of spring steel or the like andinclude flexible upper portions 112 extending upwardly adjacent the wall108 of the chamber. The portions 112 are retained by guide members 113secured to the wall 108 and are thereby adapted to move axially relativeto the chamber. The blades 111 are secured to the upper portions 112 ina position normally extending radially inwardly as shown in FIGURE 13.However, as the portions 112 are moved upwardly in the guide members 113the blades are retracted radially outwardly to open the lower end of thechamber. When the portions 112 are moved downwardly the bladesaccordingly move radially inwardly to close off the chamber and severthe lower end of any core of earth retained therein. Means for axiallymoving the upper portions 112 and thus the blades 111 include acentrally disposed axially movable plate 114 disposed within the chamberadjacent the upper end thereof. Spring means 115 are secured to thehousing wall 108 by means of clips 116 or the like and are adapted tonormally urge the plate downwardly in the chamber. Flexible arcuateportions 117 extend integrally from adjacent the upper portions 112 andconnect to the plate 114 for movement therewith. As the arcuate portions117 are preferably integral with the portions 112 and also made ofspring steel they are adapted to transmit upward force from the plate114 into downward force on the portions 112. More specifically, thearcuate portions 117 are disposed adjacent an upper concave wall 118 ofthe housing 101 and adapted to move flexibly therealong. Thus as theplate 114 urges one end of the portion 117 upwardly it moves arcuatelyalong the wall 118 and results in downward movement of the portion 112.As the housing 101 cuts into the earth a core of earth will be formedwithin the chamber 109, and when the top of the core engages the plate116 the plate is moved upwardly relative to the housing. The force onthe plate is then transmitted to the blades 111 as described in theforegoing whereby the blades move radially inwardly to sever off thecore. The housing may then be removed from the bore and the coreextracted by flexibly bending back the blades 111.

In the general operation of the apparatus of the presentinvention itwill be appreciated that a compound rotary movement is imparted tovariously disposed cutting tools of varied configurations. In theembodiments of FIG- URES 1 and 8 the cutters are generally adapted forrotary movement about an axis normal to that of the main drive shaft. Bysuitably gearing the transversely disposed cutter shafts with the maindrive shaft the nature of cutter rotation relative to the housing may bepredetermined. More specifically, referring to FIGURE 9, variations inthe sizes of the drive gear 71 and pinion 72 will accordingly vary thespeed of the cutter chains relative to the housing. Also, by having thepinion 72 engage the drive gear 71 adjacent the top thereof, instead ofthe bottom as shown, the direction of cutter rotation relative to thehousing can be reversed. Accordingly it is apparent that variation inthe cutter movement relative to the stationary earth can be achieved inthe foregoing manner.

What is claimed is:

1. Drilling apparatus of the character described comprising, incombination, a main shaft adapted for powered rotation, a housingrotatably mounted axially about said shaft, gearing connecting saidhousing to said shaft for rotation of said housing by said shaft in adirection oppositely of the direction of rotation of said shaft, a drivesprocket mounted on said housing and connected to said shaft forrotation relative to said housing about an axis generally normal to saidshaft, an idling sprocket mounted on said housing for rotation relativeto said housing about an axis generally normal to said shaft, a cuttingchain mounted on said sprockets for rotation therearound, said chainhaving cutting teeth disposed along the length thereof, and a boringdrill bit mounted on the lower end of said main shaft for rotationthereby in the same direction as the rotation of said shaft.

2. Drilling apparatus comprising, in combination, a main shaft adaptedfor powered rotation, a tubular housing rotatably mounted concentricallyon said shaft and connected thereto for rotation oppositely of saidshaft, a drive gear secured to said main shaft for rotation therewith, apinion gear rotatably mounted on said housing and engaging said drivegear, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on said housing and connectedto said pinion for rotation therewith relative to said housing, saiddrive sprocket being rotatable about an axis extending radially fromsaid shaft, an idling cutter sprocket rotatably mounted on said housingabout an axis parallel to that of said drive sprocket, a chain mountedon said sprockets for rotation therewith, said chain having cuttingteeth disposed along the length thereof, a second drive sprocketrotatably mounted on said housing about the same axis as said firstdrive sprocket and connected to said pinion gear for rotation therewith,said second drive sprocket being spaced radially outwardly relative tosaid first drive sprocket, a second idling cutter sprocket rotatablymounted on said housing about an axis parallel to that of said firstidling cutter sprocket, said second cutter sprocket being spacedradially outwardly relative to said first cutter sprocket and having itsaxis disposed closer to I the axis of said drive sprockets relative tothe axis of said said shaft and connected thereto for rotation by saidshaft, a first drive sprocket mounted on said housing and connected tosaid shaft for rotation relative to said housing, a first idlingsprocket mounted rotatably on said housing, and a first cutting chainhaving cutting teeth disposed along the length thereof mounted on saidfirst sprockets for rotation therearound, a second drive sprocketmounted on said housing outwardly spaced from and adjacent said firstdrive sprocket and connected to said shaft for rotation relative to saidhousing, a second idling sprocket mounted rotatably on said housingoutwardly spaced from and adjacent said first idling sprocket, and asecond cutting chain having cutting teeth disposed along the lengththereof mounted on said first sprocket for rotation therearound.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,050,361 1/1913Halle 17589 1,396,625 11/1921 Corrigan 175-89 X 1,406,349 2/1922Corrigan 17590 X 1,643,549 9/1927 Donnelly et a1. 175-89 2,653,7949/1953 Straitifi 17589 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner.

D. H. BROWN, Assistant Examiner.

1. DRILLING APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTERS DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A MAIN SHAFT ADAPTED FOR POWERED ROTATION, A HOUSING ROTATABLY MOUNTED AXIALLY ABOUT SAID SHAFT, GEARING CONNECTING SAID HOUSING TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION OF SAID HOUSING BY SAID SHAFT IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITELY OF THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT, A DRIVE SPROCKET MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY NORMAL TO SAID SHAFT, AN IDLING SPROCKET MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY NORMAL TO SAID SHAFT, A CUTTING CHAIN 